Lottery ticket worth nearly $46 million purchased in Alberta

Albertans are proving they’re a lucky bunch, as another multi-million dollar lottery ticket was purchased in the province.

At least one or more Albertans are multi-millionaires, after officials confirm one winning ticket worth nearly $46 million drawn in Wednesday’s Lotto 649 was purchased in the province.

The Western Canada Lottery Corporation says the ticket was purchased somewhere in the province, but outside of the two major cities.

“It wasn’t sold within the city limits of Edmonton or Calgary,” said Andrea Marantz with the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

“It might be somebody that lives in Calgary or Edmonton who just happened to buy a ticket while they were out in the country.”

Marantz say this is the third biggest Lotto 649 jackpot in Canadian history and all three top jackpots so far including Wednesday night’s draw, have been won in Alberta.

“If Albertans believe that old ‘lightning strikes twice’ myth, they maybe won’t be buying tickets, but it’s struck three times now,” she said.

“It really does seem like Alberta’s a particularly lucky place.”

However one gambling expert says while gambling is big in Alberta and could be giving the province a slight advantange, in the big picture, he insists Albertans have no better odds than anyone else in the country.

"Lottery winners are randomly distributed across the population," said Brad Humphreys.